Automatically interlocking joint between a bar and a plate



Jan. 6, 1959 F. P. BRENNAN 2,857,459

AUTOMATICALLY INTERLOCKING JOINT BETWEEN A BAR AND A PLATE Filed Aug. 26. 1957 United States Patent AUTOMATICALLY INTERLOCKING JOINT BETWEEN A BAR AND A PLATE Francis P. Brennan, Chicago, Ill. Application August 26,1957, Serial No. 680,323 3 Claims. 01. 28720) In my prior application Ser. No. 532,669, now Patent 2,805,780, filed Sept. 6, 1955 I have illustrated a hanger adapted to be placed in the top of a large carton and support garments suspended therefrom; the hanger comprising a channel bar connected at its endsto short inverted trough-like elements that slip over and rest upon the upper edges of two opposed side walls of the carton.

The present invention relates to the joint between the cross bar and each of the trough-like elements. Devices of this general character must be inexpensive and sturdy and therefore should be made of metal plate material and without the use of extraneous fastenings.

The object of the present invention is so to construct the bar and the end pieces that they may be shipped without first being assembled and, when they are to be used, a bar and two end pieces be simply pressed together to become locked into a rigid unit.

A further object of the invention is to create a joint that is not only secure but does not detract in any way from the desirable neat appearance of the device.

In carrying out my invention I employ an inverted channel bar and end pieces in the shape of an inverted U having slightly flaring sides; both the bar and the end pieces being each made of a single piece of thin metal plate material cut and punched to provide the desired interlocks.

The various features of novelty whereby the present invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a side view, broken away in the center, of a garment supporter embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of one end of said garment supporter.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side view, on a larger scale, of a fragment of one of the end pieces, detached from the bar.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the bar on the same scale as Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 10, showing the parts illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 assembled and the pocket elements in section.

Fig. 7 is a section on a still larger scale on line 77 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a section, on the same scale as Fig. 7, on line 88 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a section, on the same scale as Figs. 7 and 8, on line 9-9 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 10 is a section on line 10-10 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawing, 1 is a channel bar composed of heavy sheet metal and preferably square in cross section; a flat wall 2 forming the bottom of the channel, and flat walls 3 and 4 forming the sides. Wall 3 contains louvres 5 such as shown in the aforesaid application.

End pieces 6, 6, in the form of deep, narrow troughs 2,867,459 Patented Jan. 6, 1959 are fixed to the ends of and crosswise of the bar to support the latter.

In one side wall 6 of each end piece are pockets, and on each end of the bar are elements, including elements entered in said pockets, to cooperate with parts on the bar so as to lock thebar and end pieces into a rigid unit.

In the arrangement shown there are three pockets 7, 8 and 9. These pockets are conveniently created by partially severing small sections of the plate material from the main body and deforming them. Pockets-7 and 8 are arranged side by side with closed bottoms aligned with each other; and they are open at the top and along the sides remote from each other. Lugs 10 are struck up from Walls 6" not far from the side openings in these latter pockets. Pocket 9 is above and midway between the other two pockets, being open at the top and closed at the bottom and at the two sides. What the adjacent end edge faces of the bar.

Lip 14 has struck up therefrom a lug 15 that has a flat edge face 15 parallel to and facing the plane of wall 2 of the channel.

The parts are so proportioned that when the bar is placed at right angles to wall 6 of an end piece, above but with the lips in alignment with the pockets, and is slid along that wall until the lips are fully seated in the pockets, the end piece and the bar are locked together into a rigid whole; lugs 10 engaging the exposed faces of the flanges of the channel bar in registration with lips 12 and 13 to guide the bar into its seat and prevent spreading of the flanges.

This locking results from two things. First, when the lips once enter the pockets, the bar is prevented from moving in any direction relative to the end piece, except to go straight ahead until fully seated or to be pulled out to retrace the path by which the lips reached the pockets. Then, just as the lips become firmly seated, the little lug 15 snaps underneath the raw edge 16 (as best shown in Fig. 5), at the top of the opening in wall 6 in forming pocket 9. The lug 15 therefore serves as a positive stop to close the only avenue of escape for the lips, left after the lips have even partially entered the pockets.

It will thus be seen that the bar and the end pieces are automatically locked together by the mere operation of pushing the bar to seat the lips thereon in the pockets on the end pieces. Furthermore, after a locked assembly has been effected, the parts cannot again be separated without using tools for that purpose.

When the top wall of the bar is not parallel to the top edges of the end pieces, but lies at a considerable angle thereto, the hooks on conventional coat hangers, supporting the weight of coats or suits, are engaged at their tips and held by the edges of the louvres; thereby maintaining each garment in a fixed position instead of permitting it to slide back and forth along the .bar, or ed the bar if the louvers did not prevent the hooks from straightening under the loads imposed upon them.

I claim:

1. In combination, a plate, an inverted channel bar comprising a bottom wall and two side walls, said walls having at corresponding ends inturned lips lying in the plane of the edge faces at said ends, said plate having on one face protruding pockets all opening in the same direction in which said lips are seated, the pockets in which the lips on the side walls are seated also each being open on one side to permit the corresponding lip to protrude through that side, projectionsbrithe plate beside the latter pockets and engaging witht'ne exposed side of the bar in 'regist'r'ation-with the lips seated in such pockets, a projection on the lip on the bottom Wall of the channel at the mouth'of the pocket in which that lip is seated, and there being *an opening in the plate in which the latter projection is seated to pevent Withdrawal of the lipsfrorn 'the'pockets:

2. A- combination as set=forth 'in'claim 1, wherein the plate is adapted tobe supported- With one edge above the bar horizontal and the bottom wall of the channel standing at anangle to the horizontal, whereby the bar has one of its corners facing upwardly.

3. A combination as set forth in claim 2, wherein the flange of the channel which extends closest to the top edge of the plate contains louvres.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

